Epidemiology

PrevalenceAffects all genders and ages; usually diagnosed in 4th to 5th decades of life, familial cases diagnosed 1 decade earlier

Etiology and Pathophysiology

Pheochromocytoma is a tumor that releases catecholamines into the circulation. Catecholamines bind to adrenergic receptors to produce various effects that could induce severe or lethal cardiovascular and cerebrovascular complications.